Introduction to the SOE
As short-term mission practitioners we strive to appropriately express God’s redemptive mission throughout his world (missio Dei), and to glorify him — the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — in everything we do. We acknowledge that many people are affected by our involvement in short-term mission — some positively, some negatively, some whom we may never meet. We further acknowledge that short-term mission participants include not merely those who go, but those who send (3 John 5-8) and those who receive (Matt. 10:40-42). We also acknowledge that short-term mission is not an isolated event — but rather an integrated process over time affecting all participants. This process consists of pre-field, on-field, and post-field stages. We desire to pursue excellence and to strengthen our overall effectiveness worldwide. We do so not in a legalistic or rigid manner, but in a redemptive manner by voluntarily adopting and committing ourselves to the Standards of Excellence in our short-term mission efforts.
These Standards are intended to encourage the pursuit of
excellence in all short-term mission efforts, not establish
legal regulations or liability.